


Of Thieves and Assassins

by Elenduen



Category: James Bond (Craig movies), James Bond (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Different First Meeting, Angst, Hacker Q, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Protective Alec Trevelyan, Protective James Bond, Thief Q
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-13
Updated: 2017-03-08
Packaged: 2018-08-22 06:54:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 11
Words: 22,493
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8276792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elenduen/pseuds/Elenduen
Summary: When Bond is sent to retrieve a stolen USB containing vital information on the UK defenses he does not expect to be taken down by a Hacker and a Thief sent to do the very same thing. While Q escapes with the USB he soon learns that he is working with a terrorist organisation and returns the USB to MI6 which brings about the start of a whole new set of problems as his former employers want revenge, and a face from James's past is revealed to be living in the heart of London's East end as a major criminal Boss who may or may not want to change his ways.A/N  Chapter One has been re-posted as I finally noticed it hadn't all copy pasted the first time and part of the fic was missing.





	1. Chapter 1

His name was Kit Quinn, ar at least it was now, he'd had several names over the years and Kit Quinn suited at present, it wasn't the name his current employers knew his as, they only knew him by his handle of Question Mark and Question Mark was one of the best hackers and thieves in the world.

He'd been contacted by an Organisation to break into a high security building, hack into a state of the art safe and retrieve a USB drive that this organisation wanted.

Quinn figured that there was something damning on it that his employers didn't want made public or some load of crap, but as they'd already paid half up front as he always demanded he didn't much care and set about forfilling his contract.

 

Breaking into the building was easy, (For him at least), he was a street thief aswell as a hacker, he'd learned how to pick pocket, run fast, climb, and parkour as a way of surviving, so leaping across from the roof top of the neighbouring building and then scaling down the wall to the large office window was not difficult. 

Having already disabled the alarms and frozen the security cammeras via his smart phone which was easier to carry on a job like this than a laptop he had the window open in less than a minute and was climbing inside. 

The huge safe wasn't hidden behind a painting or anything like that, the trinium cased volt door sat on the far side of the room complete with both retinal and palm print scanners aswell as a digital lock to get past.

Checking the time for when one of the rent-a-cops made their sweep Quinn crossed the room and hooked his phone up to the security system beginning his hacking to bipass the security and get the safe open.

 

James Bond AKA 007 was more use to missions abroad than in the UK, but then it was usual forgien powers who wanted to destroy the UK, not traitors from within selling out to a terrorist organisation.  
But that was exactly what had happened, one of MI6 employees had stolen vital data regarding Britain's defences, as it turned out he had been a plant for a Man by the name of Reginald Blackwood who hid his real business dealings of blackmail, theft, and cyberterrorism behind a wealthy corporation. 

Blackwood now in possession of the USB containing the information was selling it to the highest bidder, something James was intent on preventing by stealing back the USB, he had hoped to be allowed to kill Blackwood too, but M hadn't been able to sanction that, apparently the bastard was politically connected despite being a back stabbing traitor and until a case could be made air tight against him, this was as much as MI6 could do.

 

Standing in the dark alley James fired the high wire at the building catching it tight on the roof and ascending the wall swiftly.

He knew something was off the second he entered the building, after years of being a double Oh he had learned to trust his instincts and drew his gun cocking it and holding it ready as he went down the corridor to the office. 

There were no lights on inside the office, no signs of any movement yet James felt a presence that set the hair on the back of his neck on edge. 

Moving as stealthily as a cat he checked the room before slipping inside, the wind coming from the open window blew against his skin making his eyes dart momentarily there before looking back to the safe door which was wide open theinternal lights casting a dim glow over the room.

He wasn't alone.

 

Quinn had heard James's gun being cocked as he had just pocketed the USB, moving as fast as he could he disconnected his phone and concealed himself in the shadows beneath the desk hardly daring to breath as the unknown man entered the office.

Watching from the shadows Quinn took in James, slim physique with firm muscle tone, moved almost silently and clearly knew how to handle the weapon in his hand.   
Military trained, professional, SAS type, Walther PPK 7.65 mm standard government issue to MI6 spook agents. 

From within in sleeve Quinn drew out a flick blade and opened it, the second James's back was to the table and he was looking in the safe Quinn rose from the desk and kicked the back of knees sending James sprawling to the floor with grunt. Taking no chanced Quinn quickly planted his knee in James's back pinning him down and placed the blade against his throat.

"Toss the gun across the room" he said sounding like he was asking for James to pass him the sugar for coffee!, "Just slide it away like a good boy and no ones going to get hurt"

"There doesn't need for a gun to be involved for someone to be hurt" James calmly replied and had to supress a wince as the blade was dug deeper into his skin "Boy" he whispered "You don't know what you're doing"

"Oh I know what I'm doing alright" Quinn chuckled watching as the gun was slid away "Unlike you I'm not a professional killer, I don't enjoy taking lives but..." he paused to dig the blade in a little harder drawing some blood "That doesn't mean I haven't done it or that I won't take yours"

James swallowed convulsively and let out a steady breath judging the odds, if he fought back he might be able to dislodge the boy from his back but there was a damn good chance he'd get his throat slit in the process and while this boy hadn't killed him out right as professional would have by the firm hold of the blade against his throat he wasn't afraid of doing so and wouldn't hesitate if he were pushed into it.

"What d'you want?" James asked his voice rasping slightly 

"Me?" Quinn replied "Oh I've already got what I want, feel free to go through the safe and take what you want, but don't even think about trying to follow me", whipping the blade away he thumped James's face down onto the floor then quick as a flash turned and ran to the window. In the time it took for James to right himself and spin round Quinn was already clambering back up the wall to the roof, cheekily as James stuck his head out the window his gun at the ready Quinn tipped him a mock salute before disappearing into the darkness leaving James to go into the safe which as he already suspected was sans the USB which was now in the hands of the bloody kid who'd handed him is arse!.

"Oh M's gonna love this!" he groaned kicking the safe door "Bitch'll have my balls for this!"

 

Quinn went straight back to his apartment after leaving the Blackwood building, he kept to back alleys and roof tops avoiding everyone as he made his way home. 

Home wasn't a flat or a house, it wasn't even a bedsit. It was in fact building space beneath a bridge on the Thames!.

Having opened the door on the bridge that had probably been an enterance for sewer maintainance he had taken possession of the empty space and turned it into his own hide away. 

He'd easily fitted a dead bolt lock on the door and made the place his own. He'd taken advantage of the traffic lights and hooked up to the electric supply from which he was able to run a small fridge freezer, multiple computers, a small electric oven, a toaster, and a microwave, of course a kettle since he couldn't go more than two hours without earl grey tea, he even had electric heaters for the winter. 

While he lived on the Thames that water was not safe to drink and while he was good at technology he was no plumber and besides which he didn't have access to the water pipes or the knowledge on how to hook them up to taps or a shower, so he bought bottle water to drink and brush his teeth and made use of public showers in swimming pools or if necessary then just used the sinks in public toilets to clean up and used one of the many laundrettes in London to clean his clothes every week.

One would think with the amount of money Quinn made hacking and stealing he would have got himself a mansion somewhere and lived the high life, the jet set life style of champagne and cavier. 

However he hated cavier and preffered tea to Champagne!, but more than that he liked to remain hidden, if he bought somewhere to live then he would become visable to the world, to people who would want to find him, governments and the like. While living where he was he remained hidden. No one knew who Question Mark was, what he looked like or where he lived, and that anonymity was precious to Quinn, something he wasn't going to give up even for a town house in Mayfair.

 

Booting up his most powerful computer he connected the USB and set about opening it up   
"Lets see whats so important on you" he said tapping away at the keyboard "Why are MI6 sending agents after you hm?".

 

MI6

 

"Run this one past me again 007" 

James winced at the ice cold tone of M's voice and threat of serious pain in his near future that her cool calm appearance barely concealed.

"You managed to not only loose the USB which contains critical data on our defence stratergy, but you were also successfully disarmed by a common thief who managed to absconed with the USB and disappear without you managing to get so much as a glimps of his face?" 

"Well...........", James scratched at a phantom itch on his head and tried for a boyish smile that never worked on M, "It was.........more or less like that"

"I see" 

James swore he felt the air grow cooler with M's glacial glare, "So we have absalutely no idea who this boy is, who he is working for, or what they intend to do with the information they now have"

"Well while I didn't get a look of his face I can describe him" James offered "Five ten, five eleven, nine and a half maybe ten stone, young"

"Black, white, blonde, brunette, blue eyes, brown eyes?" M asked with a glare "It's hardly a lot to go on"

"He must have previous though" Tanner offered "Perhaps Q could go through the police records?", he had hardly finished speaking when all the computers suddenly became blank and a question mark appeared upon the screens

"What the hell?" M demanded 

"We're being hacked!" Tanner said stating the obvious while already on the phone to Q-branch, meanwhile more text came onto the screen 

"This is The Question Mark, do not try to trace me you will not succeed, I am not an enemy nore am I a friend. 

I have your USB, I was hired to steal it by a interested party, I did not know what was on it but now I do I shall return it to you. 

Send the agent I met tonight to the National Gallery, The Fighting Temeraire, tomorrow morning at Ten, send no one else or the deal is off and I'll throw this USB in a meat grinder"

"PS your security sucks whoever's running your tech must be from the dark ages!", another question mark appeared on the screen after the text.

 

"The cheeky little bugger!" James chuckled not bothering to hide his amusment even as M glowered 

"Our files are being looked through" Tanner reported "Q says they can't trace him, he's bouncing his signal all over the world!"

"Talented too" James commented he glanced at M "What d'you want to do?" he asked 

"I need to speak to the PM" she said looking up from the computer "Tanner get him on the phone"

"It's two am ma'am!", at M's glower he gulped and picked up another phone and started dialling.

 

Once his message was sent Quinn indulged himself by going through the files to find out who it was he had met that night. He was still seething over finding out what was on the USB, while he would normally not say no to anything assisting potential terrorists was not one of them, since his employers had never met him face to face and didn't even know his real name he wasn't worried about them, only in returning this information to MI6 and making them understand that this was a one time only deal.

"Well well, will wonders never cease" he whispered to himself as he searched through the Double Oh files and came across the agent he had met at the Blackwood building, "Commander James Bond 007 licence to kill, recruited to the secret service from the Navy, orphan, no family at all, many missions all successful", Q smirked and broke the connection to MI6, "Looks like you met your match in me Commander Bond".


	2. Chapter 2

Try as they might Q-Branch couldn't find a damn thing on the boy who'd hacked them and stolen the USB, though aparently The Question Mark was imfamous, one of the seven greatest hackers in the world. 

The Question Mark had been responsible for collapsing the entire CIA database, hijacking the KGB sattelites and rearranging their orbits to form the Tardis and spin while playing the Dr Who theme tune through out the KGB head quarters!, and he'd hacked the Samsung mobile network making every single phone ring simultainiously playing Hit Me Baby One More Time!. 

He'd also assisted fellow hacker by the name of Plague in hacking into Mossad and uploading a virus to their system!.

Who he was, where he was from, and what his real name was they hadn't a clue which didn't impress James very much, something Boothroyd noticed by his muelish expression.

"Without a mug shot, finger prints, or DNA we haven't anything to go on" Boothroyd snapped "These hackers are the best in the world!, no one knows who the hell they are!, they're like ghosts!, they don't exist save for the damage they do!, his meeting with you was as close as anyones ever got to him and it's not like you saw his face either"

"Well I did have a blade at my throat at the time, it's kind of hard to do a meet and greet in those circumstances" James shot back 

"Got the jump on you didn't he!?", James glowered at Q's amusment but could hardly deny it when that was exactly what had happened

"Who are the others then?" he asked trying to change the conversation to save his ego!

"The others?"

"These Hackers" 

"Oh, aside from Question Mark and Plague, there is Shadow, Rip, Spider, Silver Star, and Fire Rabbit" Q listed "Those are the seven greatest hackers that every government, agency, company, and likely terrorist wants to get their hands on, because with a few key strokes they can bring entire countries to their knees"

"Which is why we are to bring this one in".

 

James hopped up off the table he'd been sitting on and turned to see M and Tanner "Direct orders from the PM, you are to go to the meeting as planned and bring in this Question Mark, both for questioning on who hired him to steal the USB and to have him work for us"

"Work for us?" Boothroyd asked nearly choking on his tea 

"Well you must admit Major that our Internet Security is poor, as is our Cyber technology department"

"Computers, Internet!" Boothroyd grumbled "Those damn cyber geeks couldn't even keep him from going through our files!"

"Exactly!" M stated "He's a security risk and must be neutralized".

 

This got James attention now, M words sounding very much like he was being ordered to kill the boy. "I am to use whatever means necessary to do this I take it?" he asked 

"Capture is preffered but kill if necessary" M confirmed "But one way or another he must be stopped".

 

National Gallery

 

James sat rather stiffly at the gallery staring at the painting, it wasn't his favorite sort of art, he preffered portraits of people, Botticelli pre-Savanarola, Raphael, Michaelangelo, Titian, Da Vinci, and Pietro Perugino. 

The Fighting Temeraire was not to his taste but this was not pleasure but business so he put up with it waiting for the ellusive hacker to appear.

Quinn spent a good half an hour stalking the gallery, hacking the security cameras, and making sure that James Bond was the only MI6 agent he would be dealing with before he pulled his hood up over his head and lifted his scarf higher so they were concealing his face and made his way to the rather grumpy looking double Oh agent sitting before the painting.

"Always makes me feel a little melancoly" he said as he sat down "Grand old war ship being hauled away for scrap, still it's the inevitability of time don't you think?" he asked glancing towards a less than impressed James Bond "What d'you see?"

"A bloody big ship" James grunted shifting uncomfortably "Excuse me"

"007, I'm Question Mark" Quinn said "I believe I have something you want".

 

James sat back down and looked at the skinny youth sitting besides him, his coat was over large and hanging off an underfed body, his face was practically hidden by his hood and scarf leaving only rediculously large glasses visable with bright green/grey eyes behind them. 

"You" James drawled "You broke into Blackwoods and stole the USB"

"And kicked your arse!" Quinn confirmed

James snorted at that looking the scrawny boy up and down "You got lucky, I could snap you like a twig under normal circumstances"

"Ha!, I could do far more damage on my lap top sitting in my pajamas before my first cup of earl grey than you could in a year!"

"So I've heard, nice job with sattelites by the way my favorite Doctor was the ninth"

"Yeah?, I like the tenth best especially when he was flirting with Jack!"

"Well Jack flirts with everyone!" 

"Bit like you from what I've read", James rose an eyebrow and Quinn grinned "I read your file, Commander, quite the resume you've got, especially when it comes to lovers"

"Thats just a hazard of the job, I usually like to keep things on the straight and narrow!"

"Ugh!", Quinn groaned and rolled his eyes at the inuendo "You're worse than your file!"

"Been told that before"

"Been told to piss too?"

"Quite often!". 

 

Quinn smiled and drew in a deep breath and drew the USB from his pocket "I'll give this to you and thats an end to our involvement, you and yours don't try to look for me, contact me, or anything again"

"And what about your employers?" James asked getting a snort 

"They don't know me, they only know my handle" 

"Can you be certain of that?, that they weren't watching who broke into Blackwood?", this gave Quinn some pause and he flinched as James's hand touched his "You could come with me, I can protect you".

 

Protection, how long had it been since Quinn had had any protection from anyone?, years, and years. He was so very alone, had been for so long, never getting close to anyone because if he let his sheilds down even for a moment there was a risk that he would end up being hurt again. 

To have been offered protection was tempting but Quinn was not that green, the offer was coming from an assassin!, a trained professional killer who'd murdered God knows how many people. He also worked for a Government agency which Quinn had hacked and had information from that they would likely belive should not be anyones hands but theirs, if he went with the Man he'd be signed his own death warrent!, or if not then he'd spend the rest of his life in Belmarsh!.

Sitting up straighter Quinn turned to face James completely and shook his head   
"We both know your offer of protection would come in the form of a bullet or a jail cell neither of which I am look to become aquainted with!, so thanks but no thanks I'll take care of myself!"

"For how long?" James persisted pressing his forefinger and third finger together against the ring on his middle finger which released a small needle coated in a fast acting knock out drug, the ring had been a gift from Boothroyd as an extra way to bring Question Mark to Six without the use of a gun.

"How long d'you want to live like this?, always on the run, settling no where, having no one and nothing?"

"Look who's talking!" Quinn shot back with a scowl "I'll bet you've got no one either, friends, family, well I know you've nothing, your parents died when you were a kid, the woman you loved betrayed you and topped herself, and your best friend turned traitor and you killed him!, so right back at you how long do you want to live like this?"

Hard grey/blue eyes met green in a battle of wills, neither willing to give an inch to other because to do so would be to show weakness not something either was going to do, "What about you, your life?" James asked "Who have you lost thats made you so bitter?"

"Who said I ever had anyone to loose?" 

"Orphan?"

"You'll never know" Quinn stated offering James the USB "Now take this and go", James sighed and wrapped his hand about Quinns sinking the needle into his flesh making the boy yelp, more in surprise than pain but he yanked his hand back rolling down his glove to see a tiny bead of blood on his skin  
"Oh you bastard!", already his head was starting to spin and a furred feeling was spreading over his tongue, in desperate attempt he made to leave only for his knees to give way as the world seemed to take on the rocking motion of a ship in a storm 

"I'm sorry it had to be this way" James said wrapping his arms about Quinn's chest and lifted him up "Diabetes, forgot to take his medication" he said to those who looked their way and easily lifted Quinn into a bridal carry "You're far to skinny"  
he commented walking swiftly through the gallery 

"I'll...........make you......sorry!" Quinn slurred as he slipped further under the drugs effects 

"Just close your eyes and go to sleep" James said hurrying down the stone steps and making his way to the DB5, he placed Quinn on the passenger seat and fastened the safety belt about him pausing to push back the hood and lower the scarf to reveal the thin angular face of a young man 

"I.......was..........giving you............USB" Quinn mumbled "Didn't...........I'd tell.......no one", with that he fell asleep with his head hanging forward as his whole body became limp 

"I know" James said patting his shoulder "And no ones going to hurt you, I will make sure of that".


	3. Chapter 3

MI6 

It was rare that anyone got under James Bond's skin these days. Since Vesper's betrayal in Venice and the shock of Alec Trevelyan the former 006 who turned out to be a traitor and the criminal lunatic Janus he had kept his heart locked away behind a thick shield of titanium steel to avoid getting hurt again, he trusted few people, M was one, while she might be a cold hearted bitch she never lied or dressed up an ugly truth to spare feelings and for that James respected her, he understood that to do her job she had to be hard as nails especially since she was woman in what was often still considered "A Mans World", things had supposed to have changed, views on gender, sexuality, race, and age, but scratch beneath the finely polished surface and you found the die hard biggots still held far too much power.

Another person James trusted was Major Boothroyd, he trusted the man with his back and God knows his inventions had saved James hide more than once which had earned him the double ohs complete trust.

Felix Leitor also had James's trust having helped him more than once, even risking his own neck and career to do so. Aside from these three there was no one else that James allowed to get close to him, to see beneath his mask of vodka martini's, eat shit smirk, sarcastic quips, and expensive suits. The last person to have gotten that close, to have known the real James Bond, the man who liked lazy beach holidays, Doctor Who, Indian take aways, and Bodice ripper novels! had been Alec Trevelyan.

He and Alec had been as close as brothers, closer in fact, there had been nothing they hadn't shared nothing they hadn't done together during their years as fellow agents and then double ohs. James had been truly grief stricken when he'd thought that Orumov had killed Alec, had grieved for him for months only to find out nine years later that Alec had lied about everything and betrayed him worse than Vesper had.

After those two betrayals James had started to think that friends, lovers beyond casual flings were a risk not worth taking. 

So it was a complete surprise that he found himself pacing outside the The little hackers holding cell where he had been placed after being checked over by medical to make sure that he was healthy and wasn't going to suffer a reaction to the knock out drug.

For some reason he was actually concerned for the young man in spite of the fact he didn't know him beyond two meetings and one of those had been at knife point with him on the edge of the blade!.

Medical had run his blood to check for toxins finding him clean of any drugs aside from the knock out drug and he showed no signs of having used in the past either. He had a mild heart murmur that had likely been there since birth, a sticky heart valve that many people lived with. They'd done x-rays and a scan of his organs to make sure he wasn't implanted with any weapons like the suicide capsuals that double ohs had embedded in their teeth. 

All medical had found was a history of abuse dating back to early child hood. Multipul fractures which had mostly been left to heal on their own, both internal and external scar tissues consistant with cigarette and match burns, lashings, and most distressingly rape.

He was also at least two stone under weight, suffering from anaemia, general malnutrician, and the very early stages of pneumonia that had likely been creeping up on him since a cold or flu. He was also suffering from lack of sunlight having left him with overly large pupils and very pale skin that bruised eaily due to his anaemia.

Finger prints had been taken along with dental grafts to try and get an indentity and a history on him before he woke up, once he did and was coherant enough M would begin interrogating him and try to get him take a job with them. If she failed then he'd be packed off to belmarsh for the rest of his life.

 

For some reason James couldn't fathom he felt sick at the thought of the young man being locked up like that, in fact he felt guilty for having drugged him at all!. He knew next to nothing about the young hacker beyond that he was a genius and had suffered a hellish life but he couldn't help but feel concerned about his welfare.

Sighing deeply he pressed his palms over the plexi glass of the cell and gazed at the sleeping form of the young hacker, he looked pitiful just laying there in a jumpsuit that was hanging off his emaciated body, his vulnerablity struck a chord in James's heart bringing out a protective streak that he rarely felt for anyone these days  
"I am sorry about all this" he whispered to the slumbering hacker "I'll make sure you don't get shoved in Belmarsh no matter what happens, I may not know you but I'm sure you're no terrorist".

 

"Kyle Thomas MCQuinn"

"What?" James asked frowning at Boothroyd as he came into the holding room 

"Our guest" the Major said "We've got him on a criminal record, born Kyle Thomas MCQuinn to unknown parents, he was given to social services at birth and grew up in care until the age of fourteen when he stabbed his Foster Father in the face with a pair of sissors!"

"Charming!" James said looking to the fragile form in the cell 

"Hmm took one of his eyes out!" the Major said "Though considering his medical records I think we guess why he did it", Boothroyd was obviously refering to the injuries listed upon the young mans person that dated back to childhood, "He pleaded self defense but the Judge he faced was an old school bastard who gave him eight years for GBH anyway, he served four in juvanial detention and another two in an adult prison before being released on parole"

"Abused all his childhood and then thrown out into the world with nothing but a criminal record" James muttered shaking his head "No wonder he turned to crime"

"Indeed" Boothroyd agreed looking down at Quinn "He behaved himself for about six months or so then he slipped out on his parole ended up going by the name Kyle Thomas, he was aprehended for petty theft at the age of twenty but escaped while on bail and didn't turn up again until the age of twenty six when he was going by the name of Thomas Quinn and was charged with hacking bank accounts and major companies"

"And let me guess he skipped out on bail again?" James drawled

"Pretty much, One of London's gangsters posted bail for him most likely because he'd worked for them, and that was the last anyone saw of him"

"Until now" James said "How old is he?"

"Thirty two" Boothroyd said he shook his head at the too pale form of Quinn "Thirty two years old, practically a career criminal because he's known nothing but abuse his entire life, the IQ of a genius left to go to waste on the streets of London because no bastard in power bothered to take more than few minutes of time in his company and realize what he was capable of, or in fact what he was bloody going through in that care home!"

James's eyebrows rose at the Majors vitriolic speach, it was rare that he lost his temper, really lost it not just snapped at James for playing the fool and fiddling about in Q-Branch with his technology!, but then it was easy to forget that the Major had a family, was both a Father and a Grandfather and his protective instincts came out when child abuse was involved.

"Maybe things can change for him now" James offered in a small voice "He can.......have a better life"

"You don't think it's too late for him?" the Major asked 

"No", James surprised himself by this, but something inside him had him believing that Quinn wasn't yet lost to them, during his two meetins with him he hadn't appeared to be a cold bloodied killer or his beyond hope, lost yes, hurting and mistrustful, but not broken beyond repair, "I think if given some time he can find his way again" James said "Maybe we can be the ones to help him find his way again".

 

Quin had awoken feeling dizzy and sick like he had a hangover, groaning and clutching his aching head he sat up finding himself in a circular holding cell with plexi glass walls about him.

"Drink the water and you'll feel better"

Quinn startled at the voice and jerked sharply regretting the movement as it made his head spin all the more, however he saw 007 standing outside his cell along with an older Man who indicated to the water in a plastic sports bottle "You need to flush your system, plenty of liquids" the older man said a slight smile curving his `lips at Quinns retisence "It's not drugged I assure you"

"And why should I believe you?" Quinn grunted pulling his knees up to his chest scowling darkly at them "You bastards have already poisoned me once!"  
"It was only a sedative not poison" James protested making Quinn scoff 

"How would you like some fucker sticking a needle in you?, it's poisoning! you poisoned me!"

James opened his mouth to protest but was prevented from doing so by Boothroyd speaking again 

"I appologise for the methods used to bring you in but you didn't give us much choice"

"So this is my fault?" Quinn snapped waving a hand about the cell 

"You have broken the law!".

 

James and Boothroyd turned as M came in with Tanner "Good morning Mr MC'Quinn welcome to MI6" she said sounding as if she were inviting him to tea not interrogating him!

"Yeah very nice charmed I'm sure" Quinn sneered getting to his feet and clutching his head as it spun 

"You should drink the water" M stated "You're dehydrated and it'll help get the sedatives out of your system" 

Quinn pursed his lips and picked up the water sipping cautiously "I'd prefer earl grey" he said "And a pan 'au' Chocolat!" 

"Tanner!" M said snapping her fingers "See to it!"

"Yes Ma'am!"

Quin snorted "Got that one well trained haven't you?, wipe your arse on command too does he?", James snickered at the sass while M looked uneffected   
"So!" Quinn said drinking more water and smiling with false mirth "Why am I here then?, or do you make a habbit of dragging young men into your cells?"

"Hardly that Mr MC'Quinn" 

"It's Quinn, Kit Quinn, I haven't used MC'Quinn since I slashed that pervert okay?"

"Very well" M said "Mr Quinn, you have a very impressive history, a technological genius, by all accounts"

"I'll take that as a compliment" Quinn said with a smirk watching M as she walked round his cell 

"Some would call you a cyber terrorist considering what you've done as The Question Mark"

"But not you?"

"No, not me" M confirmed a slight smile spreading over her face "A terrorist would have used that information for themselves, sold it to the highest bidder, you gave it back to us without a demand for anything in return"

"Wrong" Quinn said narrowing his eyes "I asked for anonymity, I asked to be left alone!, Thats what I Wanted!" he yelled at M slamming his palms on the glass "I was no threat to you, I don't want to run a country, bring down a government all I want is to be left alone!".

Panting and glaring at his three observers Quinn pushed himself back up from the glass and folded his arms "What now then?" he asked "Prison again?, been there done that got the scars to prove it"

"So we've seen" M said "You medical history shows you should have been praised for slashing the pervert not punished"

"Tell that to the fucking judge who sentenced me" 

"I have actually!, he's retired now but I did inform him how useless he was as a judge!" 

Quinn opened his mouth then closed it again chuckling "She always like this?" he asked of James who shook his head

"She's being nice today, usually she rides a broomstick!"

"Bond honestly!" The Major sighed 

"And you are?" Quinn asked looking at the major 

"You looked at our files didn't you?" M asked "Surely you know who were are?"

"I only looked at the active agents not other personel" Quinn admitted with a shrug "I'm guessing your M though, the boss of MI6 and the double oh section"

"Clever boy" M purred 

"And I am Major Boothroyd the Quartermaster in charge of Q-Branch"

"Q-branch.......that pitiful excuse for a cyber devision!", this time James could supress a laugh at the stunned expression which came over the Majors face 

"What could you do with the cyber devision if you had the chance?" M asked tapping manicured finger nails against the glass "Could you get our systems up to scratch?, prevent any of your.....friends from hacking us in the future?"

"I don't have friends" Quinn sneered "And why would I even want to help you?"

"Queen and country?" James offered only half serious

"What have they ever done for me?" Quinn shot back "What do I owe this country?"

"Probably nothing" Boothroyd said "But wouldn't you like the chance to make something of your life, to do something better than hacking and stealing?, a chance to have friends?"

Quinn narrowed his eyes at the major, he'd learned to read people over the years and he knew that the major was being honest with him, all three of them were in fact being truthful with him, and what they hadn't said yet but what was about to be offered was a job at MI6 

"Supposing?, just supposing I agree to work for you" Quinn said "I would have some conditions" 

"Which are?" M asked 

"That I come and go as I please, no one asks where I've been, tries to mess in my affairs, no one follows me, questions me or iritates me in anyway at all!, and most especially they never try to find out where I live".


	4. Chapter 4

"So you have no idea who hired you to rob Blackwood for the USB?"

"How many more fucking times!?" Quinn groaned spinning around in his swivel chair, with M having agreed to his clauses Quinn had been alowed out of the holding cell and giving a change of clothes along with a prescription to take for his pneumonia before it got any worse.  
"It's not like I do a coffee date with these tossers!, I advertise my expertise on line and those interested contact me, if I'm interested I get back in touch set up an acount for them to pay half up front, then do whatever it is they want and then have the second payment wired after I've completed the handover of information or whatever"

"No actual meetings then" Boothroyd surmised 

"No, no real contact no face to face nothing, that way if it all goes tits up we can't grass on each other" 

"Wise" the Major agreed 

"But it doesn't give us any leads on who they are or where they are" M groused 

"They're UK based I can tell you that" Quinn said twisting the chair round to look at her "At least their IP Address was"

This got the attetion of both M and the Major "Where were they?" M asked 

"Just outside London" Quinn replied with a shrug "Don't get your hopes up" he added as he saw the their eyes light up "It was a Hotel not an office or a house or anything, they're not idiots, I don't even know if their English, they could have been from anywhere in the world!", he frowned as they both seemed to deflate "Whats it matter anyway?, you got the USB back, it's all good!"

"Hardly" M said in a scathing tone "We still need to know who are enemies are, who was prepared to go to such lengths to bring down the UK"

Frowning Quinn hopped up out of the chair and walked to M's desk and tapped his finger nails upon the polish mahogany wood "Well if it's that important to you I could go ask The Russian" he offered watching as M frowned slightly looking to Boothroyd and then Tanner for information when neither were forthcoming she looked back to Quinn

"The Russian?"

"Yeah he pretty much runs London's Underworld now, knows who's who, what they're doing and planning, everything"

"Whats his name?" Tanner asked 

"Don't know" Quinn said with a shrug "He just showed up a couple of years ago and started taking out the others"

"Others?" Boothroyd asked 

"Other gangs" Quinn drawled "Killed some of the bosses, put the small timers out of business, and set himself up the King of the Underground, only a couple of the other Bosses managed to keep goin', an they're scared shitless of him and his men"

"Charming man then" Boothroyd muttered 

"Would he know who your....employers were?" M asked 

"Perhaps"

"And would he be agreeable to helping us?", again Quinn shrugged 

"I don't know, you'd have to ask him, but maybe, for a price of course"

"Then we'll have to make him an offer" M said decisively "You'll go and see this......Russian, and 007 will acompany you".

 

Quinn wasn't overly thrilled by this propersition and neither did Tanner and the Major look overly convinced either but M wouldn't be disuaded and ordered James to acompany Quinn across London to where this illustrious Russian was based.

"This isn't exactly my idea of fun either you know?" James said as he drove through the streets heading for East End 

"Well it sure as hell ain't mine" Quinn muttered slouching down in the Aston Martin grumpily picking at his ill fitting borrowed clothes "Should 'ave changed clothes" he muttered "I don't feel right in this stuff"

"It's all we could find that would come close to fitting you" James sighed "You're that skinny you need a childs size" he looked Quinn over seeing the way the boy was hunched up curling in on himself as if protecting himself from harm "You don't have to do this" he offered "I can drop you off at......wherever you want and go and see this Russian on my own"

Quinn snorted looking up from picking at the skin about his nails and sneered at James "He'd have you strung up soon as look at you!, he don't like people he doesn't know dropping by, they have to make an appointment if they want to see him about business or go through someone who does know him"

"I can take care of myself" James growled "I took you down easy enough"

"Yeah you fucking poisoned me!, I still owe you a kick in the bollocks for that!", James grinned at Quinn's sass and patted his knee meaning to be friendly but had the oposite result as Quinn jumped violently and glared at him "Do that again and I bloody kill you!" he hissed glaring daggers at the double oh who smirked back 

"You're no killer" 

"Yeah?, tell that t'the friggin' Pimp I offed in Whitechappel, and the bastard in Peckham I caught beatin' on a couple o'kids" 

James risked looking away from the road again to see Quinn's sulky resigned expression, as a double oh he was trained at reading people, reading between the lines so he could get to the truth, Quinn wasn't lying about having killed those two people he had defenately done so, but he still didn't strike James as a natural killer just someone who'd done what they had to in a bad situation. 

"Sounds like they both deserved it" he commented as they pulled up before the traffic lights 

"They did" Quinn agreed in a toneless voice, sharply he looked up with a scowl "I don't feel guilty about it either, I don't need a professional murderer to hold my hand and tell me it's all alright"

"I am not a professional murderer" James ground out gripping the steering wheel tighter to control his temper 

"Thats exactly what you are" Quinn sneered "Dress it up however you want you're just the same as any other hired killer, you murder people for money, only difference is your money comes from the Government where as the others get it from people like The Russian but in the end you're all the same" he looked up giving James a mirthless smile "I've been around people like you all my life, you might wear more expensive clothes, have a posher accent and are a bit more skilled about this but you're the same as them"

"You really believe that don't you?" James snapped looking at him 

"Should I think different?" Quinn replied sitting up a bit "Turn left here" he instructed "Then the take the second right" 

"Who is this Russian then?" James asked "How did you come to meet him?"

"Did a couple of jobs for him, setting up his Internet security and moving his fortune from bank acounts to others without leaving a trace" Quinn replied "As for who he is?, I don't know, he's English I think, though he speaks flawless Russian and does a good accent, when he's relaxed it slips and he sounds like an upper class Londoner"

James flinched slightly at the similar description that would have easily discribed Alec Trevelyan, but he was dead, long dead, no one could have survived the drop off that antenna and especially not all the crap falling down on top of them when the base blew apart!

"He's ex-military I think" Quinn went on not noticing James's change in demener "Perhaps ex KGB!, but he holds himself like a soldier and can fight damn well despite his leg"

"Leg?" James looked to Quinn with a frown 

"Yeah he must have got injured pretty bad at some time because he's had a leg amputated below the knee, and he's got bad scarring on his face, a land mine d'you think?" he asked looking to Jame who made an unconvinced noise

"It's unlikly he'd have survived a mind going on under his feet, though I guess it is possible" he sat up straight and nodded to a penthouse above what was a closed due to the hour of the day very exclusive night club, "We're here".

 

James Bond was not use to playing the side kick and he couldn't say he liked it but he allowed Quinn to take the lead as they went into the closed night club where cleaners were at work and staff were restocking the bar 

"We're closed" one of them said "Don't open till seven" 

"I wanna see your boss if he's in" Quinn grunted shoving his hands in his pockets "Tell 'im it's Kit Quinn", the barman looked uncomfortable but complied, going stepping out from behind the bar and going to a door marked private 

"Nice place" James commented looking around taking in the quality of the decor`, "Must make a good turn over"

"I wouldn't know" Quinn said leaning back against the bar "I don't do clubs and noise and crowds"

"What do you do?" James asked easily slipping into flirtation "What does the little street thief and hacker do for fun?", Quinn rolled his eyes and leaned back over the bar to look at James unimpressed 

"Well you for one'll never know" he said with a smile 

"I like a challenge" James said making Quinn sigh and shake his head "I'd like a drink too" James added taking a twenty from his coat "I'll have a........."

"Dry vodka martini lemon peel shaken not stirred" a far to familiar voice said making James's blood run cold, slowly he turned and saw The Russian standing behind them with a couple of heavies on either side smiling at him, "Hello James, been a while hasn't it?"

"Alec...........!!!!" James whispered his hand itching for his gun 

"Back from the dead for a second time!" Alec purred looking like the preverbial cat who'd got the cream "Well here we are once again!, how d'you think it'll go this time?"


	5. Chapter 5

It was nothing short of a miracle that Alec Trevelyan, former 006 had survived his last fight with James Bond. 

When James had let go of his foot and let him fall from the antenna he had never expected to survive the impact and had not been overly pleased that he had considering the searing pain that had assulted his body when he had survived the drop. 

Laying there spitting blood from his punctured lung he'd watched James jump onto the helicopter his shag of the week had been on and fly away just as the base had blown and the debris had come raining down towards Alec.

Alec had expected to impaled, crushed, at the worst burned alive, but by luck a large sheet of metal had fallen over him and protected him from the worst of the falling debris and flames until the last of his Men had managed to dig him out and get him to a hospital.

 

By some stroke of luck Alec had managed to get away without spinal damage!, how that was possible he hadn't the faintest since he'd thought his spine would have been snapped in half by the drop!, yet not a single vertebra had been so much as cracked!.

It was his pelvis and legs that had taken the brunt of the damage, his upper body had escaped injury save for broken ribs with one puncturing his lung, and a broken arm, his lower body was another story though.

His pelvis had shattered and required pinning and plating to fix with him being bed bound in a steal cage for sixteen weeks!, both his legs had been broken his left leg the worst of the two and after five failed surgerys to try and repair the damage Alec himself had begged the Doctors to take it off just to be free of the pain. 

He'd adapted to using a prosthetic quickly, his high level of fittness before his injuries and sheer stubborn resolve to walk again had defenately helped him do so. 

However it been a long and painful eighteen months before he was back on his feet and walking unaided. It was then that he returned to England intending to destroy the country from within, however things had not worked out that way, not entirely anyway.

 

Upon entered the London underworld and making a name for himself as The Russian, Alec had started to find his resolve to destroy the country and it's people slipping. 

He had a wake up call of sorts as a realized just what he had been about to do had James not stoped him. It wouldn't have just been banks and prisons and the government that would have been effected by his EMP blast but everything.   
Every pacemaker, Incubator, life support machine, defibrillator, all of them would have been fried by the pulse, thousands if not millions of innocents would have died as the result of Alec's revenge against a dead Prime Minister and a dead King!. 

Thinking about it like that had made him realize that if he did that, if he killed prematurely born babies, innocent people with pace makers, then he would be no better than Stalin was when he sent execution squads, no better than his deranged drunk of a Father when he'd killed his Mother and himself. 

Alec was many things but the murderer of children was not one of them. 

This however left him in a conumdrum of sorts, he was conquering the London Underworld taking over businesses and terratory, but what would he do with it if he wasn't going to detroy England?.

Well that answer had come later, in the form of a smart mouthed skinny hacker and thief calling himself Kit Quinn.

 

His right hand man Yuri had found Quinn and brought him in to do the IT security for Alec's many business enterprises. 

Quinn had been surly and sharp tongued, avoided all physical contact refusing to so much as shake Alec's hand and had been sporting a nasty set of bruises that Alec had later learned had come from him defending a couple of street kids from one of his competators heavies who had been upping the "Protection" money.

Alec had dealt with his "Competition", the cops had pulled the fat bastards mutilated corpse out of the Thames!, and had come up with a new game plan which had hatched in his mind while he'd been slashing the slobs eyes out of his head!.

By defeating his competition he had several legitimate buisnesses that had been used as fronts for crime which he turned into very profitable businesses.   
As for crime he kept it away from the general population, worked on taking care of the street kids, and the prostitutes, most of which were only selling themselves to feed their kids anyway. While technically it made him a pimp he didn't take all their money or beat them, in fact he had all the pimps frightened off or killed and made sure no others dared step into his terratory, and that any customers who got violent were dealt with accordingly.

He kept away from drug running leaving that to the handfull of gangs who'd survived his take over, and didn't go in for weapons either, and if he found slaves being smuggled in for sex slavery or laboring then he he gutted those responsible and saw to it that the poor buggers who'd been brought in were taken care of.

What he smuggled into the country was Gold, Silver, Platinum, and Jewels. He fenced stolen sports cars and art all of which added to the profits he made from his many buisnesses, between all this he did not need to charge protection money from the street kids and prostitutes which made him very popular and beloved amongst them. 

Paying a fair amount to the thieves that brought him the good to be fenced earned him many friends there aswell. 

He'd called Quinn in several times to work his internet security and transfer his funds without leaving a trace and over the past few years had grown quite fond of the kid, starting to reffer to him as Kotyenok the russian for kitten since he was rather like a skittish kitten. He'd learned through varius sources and Yuri about Quinn's past which had made him protective of the kid, on the sly he'd had Yuri organize for Quinn to be stalked back to where he stayed (Underneath a bridge), and had immediately claimed the terratory about there for himself ensuring that no one would muscle in on Quinn if they ever discovered his hide out for themselves. 

One of the things he liked the most about Quinn was the fact the boy treated him just the same as he did everyone else (Once he knew he wasn't a pervert), he didn't react to Alec's scars or his leg, it was like he didn't even see them where most when they saw the burns on his face cringed and/or averted their gaze. Quinn looked him in the eye from day one, hadn't reacted to Alec's slight limp at all, and didn't anoy him by constantly asking if he needed to sit believing Alec would so if necessasary without him asking, and most importantly he never lied.

All of this had earned him Alec's trust and protection making him the little brother Alec had never had, so to find him sitting in his bar with MI6 most trigger happy agent had Alec both worried and intrigued, however he had decided to go downstairs and see what was going on while flanked by Yuri and his third in charge Sasha. 

 

James gaped at Alec, his mind refusing to believe what his eyes were seeing.   
Alec Trevelyan alive and well having survived once again!, it just couldn't be possible!, and yet some how it was!. 

Feeling an odd mixture of relief for the fact he hadn't killed his friend, horror that Janus was alive and in the heart of London, and anger that once again he'd been blind sided James reached for his gun only to find both Russian heavies with their weapons drawn on him instead.

"Predictable 007" Alec said with a smirk and casually walked towards him, James noted the slight limp recalling that Quinn had said he'd lost his leg, again James felt a pang at this, to be responsable for Alec being maimed, swallowing hard he put on his game face and returned the smirk Alec was giving him in kind

"Looks like you put your foot in it Alec!" he quipped nastily making Alec snort and shake his head

"Always with the glib remarks James, they really are your trade mark aren't they?, like the vodka martini's, bespoke suits, and cheap sluts", he walked past James and went behind the now deserted bar to pour himself a drink "I did wonder when our paths would cross again James and how I would feel when they did"

"And how are you feeling Alec?, footloose and fancy free?, or is still Janus?" James shot back, Alec again just laughed and shook his head and clicked his fingers silently ordering Yuri and Sasha to check him for other weapons while removing James's Gun and wrist watch

"Take any pens he might have aswell!" Alec said "I don't want a repeat of last time!" setting his vodka on the rocks on the bar he rested his forearms upon it and smiled "How is Q?, not retired yet?"

"Not yet" James said after he'd been searched all over, another five heavies had joined them in the bar making any attempts he might had made to escape useless, so for the time being he decided to play nice (Or at least not violent), he looked over at Quinn who was hunched up on a stool silent and observing everything nervously while trying not to draw attention to himself, "Was this a set up all along?" he demanded glaring at Quinn "Have you been working for this back stabbing bastard all along?, let me guess, you're the fuckwit who wanted the defense plans so you could wipe out England, and when your little thief here ran into me you decided to gain a bit of extra pay back on top of everything!" this he addressed to Alec who looked rather amused at the question, Quinn on the other hand scowled darkly

"I work for me Bond, I only freelance for others, I had no idea you two were............whatever friends, enemies, ex-shags until five friggin' minutes ago, so you can go fuck yourself with this shit!"

"You won't find him an easy lay James!" Alec laughed "And it just so happens I have no idea what your babbling about!", he looked to Quinn "What is he on about?, what defense plans?"

"I got hired by some tossers t'go nick a USB from Blackwoods, I ran into fuck face here while I was there!" Quinn said gesturing to James who protested at being called Fuck face!, "He pegged him for bein' Government and wanted t'know what he'd been there for an if it was the USB then why, so I hacked it and found out it was defense plans for the UK, so I told the tossers t'shove it, hacked MI6 and arranged a meeting with Shit bag here to give them back the USB!"

"Do you mind not calling me derogatory names!" James complained while Quinn went on undetered 

"The assholes double crossed me, instead of jus' takin' the USB shit for brains here sticks me with a friggin' needle full of fuck knows what an I woke up in a friggin' cell in the middle of friggin' MI6 and got blackmailed into takin' a job with 'em or goin' back to prison!" 

"Your acting like we had you in irons!, you weren't mistreated and it was only a sedative in that syringe" James protested 

"How do I know that?" Quinn barked at him "For all I know you bastards could have been doin' God knows what t'me while I was unconscious!"

"Yeah James you bastards could!" Alec taunted with a grin getting a dirty look of the double oh "So did you bring him here for me to exact retribution Kotyenok?" he asked "The death of a double oh will create quite a stir!", oddly enough Alec didn't want to kill James or hurt him either, getting past his desire for revenge on the UK had also put aside his anger towards 007, while James had hurt him severely he had been doing so to stop Alec commiting mass murder and had their situations been reversed Alec knew he would have done the same, so on that he let bygones be bygones and hoped Quinn didn't want revenge.

The hacker shook his head nawing at his bottom lip, "I figured if anyone in London would know who my former employers were, or could find out then it'd be you" he said "I wanted t'come alone t'talk but they made me have him come with me"

"I have a name" James groused "And do you have any idea who it is?" he asked of Alec "Assuming it's not you of course!" he added just for spite 

"It ain't him numb nuts!" Quinn sighed "He doesn't do that kind o'shit, he don't even deal drugs for fuck sake!" 

"Oh, turn over a new leaf have we?" James sneered at his former friend "Turned away from the world destruction ambitions to playing Daddy for the down and outs of London?" 

"It's more than any other fucker does for them" Alec growled back tossing back his vodka and setting the glass on the bar, walking back round he stood in front of James looking him over "I know I fucked up big time, and I know you'll never forgive or trust me but I intend no harm to the innocent now" he chuckled and shrugged "Maybe being tossed off the antenna knocked some sense into my thick skull!, I realized how stupid I was being, taking revenge for something that happened so long ago and couldn't be changed no matter what"

James smiled a little at the thick head remark seeing a flicker of the old Alec there, the one he remembered from the past the one he missed and grieved for   
"At present I don't know who would want this USB but I can endevor to find out" Alec said folding his arms over his chest "But not without some............consideration on you employers behalf"

'Here we go', James thought wryly and sighed deeply "How much?" he asked as if expecting Alec to name a seven or eight figure sum!

"Not money you fool I'm a billionaire anyway!" Alec scoffed "What I want is immunity for my past........shall we say mistakes?, fully compensating for any losses or injuries to myself and those in my employ while I help MI6, and most importantly full immunity from any crime for my Kotyenok here!", gently he placed a hand on Quinn's shoulder making James feel an odd flash of jealousy for the fact Quinn didn't flinch from the contact "I want both you and M to swear that he won't be harmed or imprisoned or there is no deal" Alec stated firmly "This kids been through hell already he doesn't need anymore shit especially not from MI6!"

They were hardly unreasonable demands that James had to admit, though how M would react to them he didn't dare even think about, nore was he going to contemplate his pang of jealousy for how easy Quinn was about Alec just yet, instead he sighed and ran a hand through his hair   
"I'll need to speak to M" 

"You can phone from here and we'll arrange a neutral location to do the meeting" Alec said gesturing to the land line "No doubt she'll have to chat with the PM and other stuck up tight arses before she gets back to us!"

"No doubt" James mused unable to hold in his smile at that 

"So while we wait how about we crack open a bottle of Crystall and catch up on all we've missed over the years, and maybe tell Kotyenok here a few stories about our times together!" Alec said grinning wolfishly "I'm sure he'll love to hear all about that mission in Amsterdam!"

James mentally groaned and glared at Alec while reaching for the phone "I should have damn well broken your neck before throwing you off that antenna!" he grunted!.


	6. Chapter 6

While James phoned SIS and spoke to M (Got screeched at by the wicked Witch of MI6), Alec opened a bottle of crystaal and poured glasses for himself, James, and Quinn. 

Keeping Yuri to stand guard Alec let the others go on with their business and took the stool next to Quinn and gave him a warm smile  
"Been a while Kotyenok" he said "How have you been?" 

"Better when MI bastard 6 ain't breathin' down the back of my neck, but otherwise m'good" Quinn replied making Alec grin and pat his knee 

"I'll make sure you're safe" he promised mentally planing their escape if it became necassery. He had a schooner yacht moored on the Thames that could easily get them to France if not further, he had passports just waiting for pictures to be put in them, and money in Swiss and Cayman accounts that he could easily access, they could either sail or fly to Brazil and disappear from the world if SIS decided to play tough.  
While he wasn't sure what the PM, M herself, and the rest of the MOD would feel about him he doubted they would want to loose a comodity like Quinn, so the liklihood was that they would play ball in regards to him, as for Alec himself?, well Belmarsh was a prison much as any other and he'd gotten out of plenty of them over the years!.

"I won't work for them unless they agree to give you a pardon" Quinn said surprising Alec and making him like the boy all the more for his loyalty 

"You're a sweetheart" he said drinking his champagne and smirked when Quinn wrinkled his nose at his own glass and offered it to Yuri who downed it like it was water not a grand a bottle!, "One day we'll get you some taste" he chuckled 

"I have good taste" Quinn sniffed "And anyway, while this isn't how I wanted us to meet again I do have some news for you, good news in fact"

"Hmm?, not getting hitched are you?", Quinn shot Alec a disgusted look making the older man snicker in amusment "What then?"

"Your leg, or more specifically the prosthetic" Quinn said to him "I have drawn up the blueprints for prototype with several modifications that I think you'll love".

 

Naturally this intrigued Alec immediately, while he wore a state of the art prosthetic he was always on the look out for upgrades that were lighter weight, looked more realistic, caused less discomfort on the scarring on the stump. 

"If I can have access to a lap top?" Quinn asked 

"Sasha?" Alec asked, the man nodded and head for the stairs to get a laptop "What brought all this on then?" he asked Quinn curious as to why he would be looking into such things 

"I saw an episode of the old A-Team TV series, there was a character in it who only had one leg, the other was a prosthetic in which he had a shot gun!, it got me thinking about how to make something like that, not a shot gun in the leg of course but something similar"  
"That sounds wonderfully lethal!" Alec chuckled finishing his glass of champagne and poured another just as James finished up speaking with M and walked back over rubbing his right temple as if he had a headache!  
"Well?" Alec asked 

"She needs to speak with the PM" James replied not about to go into details of what M had actually said, most of it had been unfit for the ears of polite company!, "I'm to stay here with you until she calls me and we'll go from there"

"In custody am I?" Alec smirked raising his champagne glass "Most comfortable prison I've ever been in!"

"Hillarious!" James shot back taking up his own glass of champagne "I trust this does not contain arsnic, cyanide, or something equally as toxic?"

"Just a side of anti-freeze and maybe a touch of ricin!" 

"Lovely!" James sneered sipping the champagne and frowned when Sasha gave Quinn the laptop which he quickly connected to the net and went to one of the drop boxes he used to back up his files "What this then, weapons of mass destruction?"

"Can't you find somewhere else to hover?" Quinn snapped "You're like a damn fly at a pic-nic!"

"Is that a polite way of saying buzz off?"

"Yeah, so do so!". 

 

Alec smirked a little as James sulkily threw himself down upon a leather couch in a booth staring at them as he sipping his champagne.   
"Here we are" Quinn said bringing up the blueprints for Alec to look at "I've stuck to the same design that is used to make the prosthetics by Athletes for internal structure of the limb, it'll be made with titanium so it'll be light but sturdy, the polymers covering the limb will be matched to your skin tone so it appears as "Real" as possible, and the wire mesh beneath will be flexible enough to bend slightly inwards when pressure is applied"

"Just like skin" Alec said looking over the design "What are these spaces in the muscles for?" he asked pointing to them 

"This is where the modifications are" Quinn said with a grin, "In the left compartment there is a sheeth for a knife, in the right side a small hand gun, in the foot there is a compartment for extra bullets and lock picks!", Alec's eyebrows rose high as he stared at the design "The wire mesh over the compartments will lay over a very thin layer of aluminum which will help prevent the detection of the weapons when going through customs, and should you find yourself taken into someone's custody.........."

"I'll have means to escape without them ever knowing!" Alec laughed clasping Quinn's shoulder "This is excelent!" 

"If you can get me the materials I can build this for you" Quinn said "I'll need to take a cast of your existing prosthetic and measurments so it can be made to fit"

"Of course I'll get the materials as soon as I can" Alec said "How long d'you think it'll be before this is ready?"

"Once I get the materials and make the basic structure.......six weeks?" 

"And how much d'you want for this?" Alec asked, not in a sardonic way, simply asking the fee for the work that Quinn would do, however the younger man shook his head

"I don't want anything"

"But surely......."

"Call it a gift" Quinn said with one of his rare genuine smiles "You've been very good to me over the years I simply want to give something back to you".

 

It was rare these days that Alec could be moved, having spent a life time seeing brutality, perversion, and cruelty he was hardened and jaded as only a man who has endured such pain and horror could be, so for him to feel a sharp pain in his throat and a flutter in his heart it was very unusual and poignant.

Swallowing hard Alec smile and blinked back any tears that might have been in his eyes and squeezed Quinn's shoulder   
"Thank you Kotyenok" 

"My pleasure".

 

James watched the exchange between Alec and Quinn closely, partly because he did not trust Alec as far as he could throw him right now!, but also because he was feeling jealous of the easy friendship between Alec and Quinn. 

He could remember being that close to Alec, to have the large Russian clasping his shoulder, patting his back, and smiling at him warmly, could recall nights spent drowning in vodka and sharing tales of debauchery, terrible jokes, and unbelievable exploits that they had been lucky to survive.   
He remembered many morning waking up on Alec's sofa or stumbling from his bed to find Alec snoring on his sofa after a night of drinking, Indian takeaways and movies.   
He remebered playing wing man for Alec when he was on the pull and vice versa, recalled sharing hotel rooms with him and a couple of pretty later twenty early thirty somethings who's names they'd never remember if they ever bothered learning them!.

So much lost in grief, betrayal, and time, could they ever get it back?. 

James wanted to believe that Alec had turned over a new leaf, that he was no longer hell bent on attacking England, that he wanted to make amends, dear God how he wanted to believe that he might have his best friend back, but did he really dare to let himself believe that?, hadn't he been let down enough over the years to be suckered once more by a promising smile and pretty words?. 

Then there was Quinn, a career criminal, an abused child, a damaged adult, a thief, a self professed murderer, hard as nails on the surface and a mystery beneath.   
James was intrigued by him, perhaps enamoured too, but he was also wary, Quinn was still very much an unknown to him, he could be certain of nothing when it came to him but what his own gut told him, and while he was certain that Quinn had not lied to him about anything he was still not going to trust him not until he knew far more about him.

 

Presently his mobile beeped with a txt message from Tanner 

'The meets on, M will discuss in person with Trevelyan the proposals, tomorrow morning, 11am Canary Warf'

"Eleven at Canary Warf tomorrow morning" James said making Alec look up from where he was now perusing Youtube with Quinn looking at old episodes of Little Britain and laughing at Vicky Pollard 

"Perfect" Alec replied with a smile "Send M my regards won't you!?"

"It's your funeral!" James snorted txting Tanner back with the confirmation. Once done he rose from his seat and went back to the bar to get another glass of champagne 

"So!" he drawled pouring the drink "We've got a long day and night to get through, what on earth shall we do to entertain ourselves!".


	7. Chapter 7

Despite the fact that he could be facing a life imprisonment the following morning, Alec still insisted on having the club open as usual, even going so far as to order a full suit for James from Savil row complete with a silk shirt and matching tie!, he also had clothing bought for Quinn that didn't hang off him or make him look like he was wearing his GrandFather's cardigans!.

Grey/blue skinny jeans, a two tone shirt of blue and purple that shifted colour in the light, and a light weight smart casual jacket in grey to go with the jeans.

Despite the fact that the clothes fitted him and made him look socially acceptable for once, Quinn looked even more uncomfortable in them than he had been in the clothes that MI6 had provided, continuing to wriggle in the jeans and tug at the sleeves of his shirt 

"You got ants in there or something?" James asked eyeing the 120-150 customers who had quickly come into the club as it's doors as opened

"I feel wrong in clothes like this" Quinn grumbled folding his arms tight across his chest a dark scowl on his face which he shot at anyone who looked too closely at him 

"I don't know why when they suite you and you're not exactly out of place here" James replied dryly. 

 

Not out of place was right, Quinn's smart casual, and his expensive suit both fit in with the diverse crowd that came to Alec's club. 

Clearly Alec had hit upon a gold mine here managing to attract all forms of custom, there were the usual youngsters trying every cocktail on the menu to celebrate the fact they no longer had to use fake ID to get into these places and growing louder and gigglier by the minute, sure to end up on their knees in the bathrooms with their heads down the toilets in an hour or two!. 

There were couples coming in for dates both married and courting, some going straight for the bar and others going to the tables to have a meal.   
There were Gay and Lesbian couples or groups of friends coming here for the night instead of one of the many bars in Soho, some screamed "I am Gay" in the clothing they were almost wearing, James would swear one young man was permanently in tears for the tightness of his leather hot pants that left nothing to the imagination and must certainly be cutting off blood supply south of his belt buckle!, while others dressed more casually.

There was even an elderly couple that had to be in their eighties if they were a day who came in for a meal to celebrate their wedding aniversary dressed in elegant evening dress and were welcomed by Alec himself and given a bottle of Champagne on the house.

Alec was in a custom made suit of such dark purple it almost appeared black and hugged every inch of body like a sinful glove, he wore no tie and the collar of his Ted Baker shirt was open but he still looked like he'd just walked off the pages of a fashion magazine. 

 

"Like to make a statment don't you?" James asked as he joined him and Quinn at the bar where Quinn was poking at a Blue Lagoon with his straw and scrutinizing the liquid as if it were some sort of lab experiment! 

"Look who's talking?" Alec shot back with a smirk nodding to the suit James was practically poured into

"You ordered it" 

"You're wearing it"

"Touche", James raised his martini glass in acknowledgment of the hit not admitting to himself that he rather enjoyed the banter that was so familiar to him

"Dinner?" Alec asked gesturing to one of the empty tables "My Chef has managed to earn us two Michelin stars"

"Only two?, I'd have thought Arsnic with a side of Salmonella would at least grant three stars!" James replied snagging a menu off the bar "I trust this'll be on the house"

"But of course" Alec agreed placing a hand on Quinn's painfully thin shoulder "I'm always trying to get some meat on this ones bones!"

"Bite me!" Quinn groused 

"I would but I'm afraid I'd break teeth on your bones!"

James smiled a bit at the by play as he perused the menu noting a wide varity of dishes before making his selection at Alec's expense   
"Crab Cocktail to start, then Lobster as a main I think!" he said picking the most expensive items on the menu with an eat shit grin "I do hope the fish is fresh" he added, though if he'd been looking to get a rise out of Alec he was disapointed as the former 006 simply grinned and beckoned one of the waitors over to make the order and smiled wickedly at James  
"You can go and see for yourself in you like just how fresh the shellfish is, though I'd advise not stinking your finger or anything else within snapping distance of them!".

 

As begrudging as it was James had to admit that Alec's chef had indeed done a fine job with the food including the dessert that Quinn showed far more interest in than he did the simple pasta dish that Alec insisted he eat, and had made sure he'd consumed at least half the plateful before letting him put the fork down.   
Warm chocolate fudge cake with ice cream however Quinn happily gobbled up showing that he had a very sweet tooth which if his size was anything to go by he didn't get to indulge very often.

"Is M going to have Alec arrested?" Quinn asked sitting back in his chair as their dessert plates were taken away and James made an order for coffee and a Brandy 

"Honestly I don't know what she'll do" James replied looking over to where Alec was talking with a couple of regular customers, laughing and smiling looking as relaxed and friendly as he ever had before Janus, "He was a bloody good agent" he said without even thinking about it, his mouth moving without his minds comand

"He's been a bloody good friend to me" Quinn said drawing James's gaze back on himself, "I won't let you betray him", it should have been comical, that skinny boy threatening him like that, yet the resolute look in the boys eyes told James that he would indeed do anything and everything to prevent Alec being taken in by Six or executed on the spot even if it cost his own life.

A rueful smile came to James's face recalling a time when Alec had been just as loyal and protective of him, and vice versa, how times change, first friends, then enemies, and now.........................James didn't even have a word for what they were now, wasn't sure there even was one, all he did know was that he missed his friend and would mourn him again if M had been ordered to have him gotten rid once and for all.

 

Canary Warf

At precisely Eleven AM Alec acompanied by Yuri, Sasha, Quinn and James met with M, Tanner, 005 and two field agents who flanked M and Tanner while 005 stood a pace or two in front of them exchanging a nod with James and glaring at Alec just daring him to try something. 

"Well" Alec said spreading his hands "This is nice isn't it!?, a family reunion of sorts!, how have you been M?, still crunching numbers and breaking balls for breakfast!?"

James's sharp eyes caught a twitch of Tanners lips at the quip and he had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing himself at the Evil Queen of Numbers!.

M however appeared uneffected by the coments and regarded Alec as cooly as an Iceberg in the middle of the North Atlantic!  
"Mr Trevelyan you are in a very precarious position here, guilty of several acounts of terrorism, murder, theft, and blackmail!" she said in a clipped voice "By all rights you should be thrown into a deep dark hole in Belmarsh and left there to rot for the rest of your existance!"

"Or stood before a firing squad!" 005 spat narrowing his eyes at Alec who smirked back 

"Considering the British Government paid me do all those things and more besides once upon a time I hardly think they can complain when I go into business for myself!, it's rather the pot calling the kettle is it not!?" he countered "After all what are the double ohs if not Murderers, and thieves?, certainly considering the destruction Bond leaves in his wake he could be considered a terrorist!, he may not do it wilfully but he still wreaks havoc wherever he goes!"

"I am standing right here!" James complained 

Bute Alec wasn't done, instead he walked up to M totaly ignoring 005 who was all but growling and spoke into her face "How many times have you sent an agent to kill someone?, to blow something up?, to another country that is a terrorist act right there", he smiled cooly at her impassive face continuing not to acknowledge the almost frothing at the mouth 005 next to him!  
"There always two sides to a coin M, two sides to every argument, it's never black and white but varius shades of grey"

"Fifty if you've read the book!" Quinn put in bringing a genuine smile to Alec's face 

"Didn't know you were into the kinky stuff Kotyenok" he called back grinning openly now while M cleared her throat

"Indeed there are always two sides to an argument Mr Trevelyan, and one mans terrorist will be considered a Freedom Fighter by another, however I did not come here to debate with you on such matters..........."

"No you came here to give my demands" Alec said smirking now, especially at the afronted look on Tanners face "Please!, I worked for you lot!, if you weren't going to give me what I wanted I'd already be dead, and you'd have written of Quinn and James as collateral damage, don't bother bullshiting me because it doesn't work!, I know how Six operates so why don't we skip this crap and get right down to it?".

 

James had to give Alec his due, he had a hell of a pair of balls to be doing this!, challenging M like this with a double oh right next to him more than ready to rip his throat out with his bare hands!.

Then again Alec had always been a risk taker, would walk through a mine field with a grenade in one hand, a bottle of vodka in the other and a lit cigarette between his teeth whistling a tune!.  
While James was the King of honeypot missions and one liners, Alec dominated Pyromania and reckless stunts with all the enthuseasm of the borderline insane!, his cocky live fast die young and go out with a bloody big bang attitude had matched perfectly with James Sex, Drugs, Rock 'n' Roll style, they both liked to live life in the fast line, pedal to the floor and completely uncaring if the next turn they took was the turn that killed them.  
Age had done nothing to temper either of them really, if anything it had made them worse as they'd had little to keep them grounded, eventually not even each other something that James knew he missed and thought, or at least hoped that so did Alec.

 

M held out a hand to Tanner who placed a file into it which she then presented to Alec, "Your Pardon and immunity from any and all past crimes signed by the Prime Minister himself, and a guaranteed immunity for Mr Kit Quinn" 

"Thank you very much" Alec said opening the file to check the documents "And my expenditure as I assist you in locating and aprehending the person or persons you are after?"

"Will be reimbursed upon the capture/kill of said person or persons" M replied taking another file from Tanner and a fountain pen which she held out to Alec "Sign here and you are officially working as a Freelance Operative of MI6"

"Hmm, does this come with a dental plan!?" Alec snickered reading through the contract before signing his name at the bottom 

"No but you may be outfitted by the Quartermaster for weapons and tech" M stated closing the file and handing it back to Tanner "Welcome back 006" she said walking to the car and giving him a narrowed eyed glare before she got in "And one further thing"

"Ma'am?"

"If you betray us again I will personally skin you alive and have your severed head errected outside West Minster!, is that understood!?"

"Perfectly Ma'am!, I can't wait to get started!".


	8. Chapter 8

MI6

Vauxhaul Cross

Alec let out a low whistle as he was escorted to Q-Branch by James.

Quinn had left them at Canary Warf to go home refusing to have anyone drive him since he didn't want anyone knowing where he lived and in spite of the fact Alec did know he would not reveal that to Quinn knowing it would only make him feel insecure and desire to find somewhere else to live.

"The old place doesn't look to have changed much" Alec said taking in the familiar suroundings "Although......have you painted here?"

"They gave out a choice of colours, beige, white, or magnolia!" James drawled "It seems colourless paint is cheaper than something with so depth!"

Alec chuckled a little disoriented by just how at home he felt within these walls even after early fifteen years. It was also very easy to fall back into bantering with James, exchanging sarcastic comentary and ascerbic remarks as they walked through the halls.

If he tried then Alec could see the ghosts of their younger selves, faces bright with enthuseasm, a bounce in their steps, a hunger for adventure burning in their stomachs as brightly as a star.

Oh they had been young then, young and perhaps naive about the world though they had both seen military service, James in the Navy and Alec in the Marines, yet neither of them could have possibly imagined the horrors of the world they had yet to face, cruelty beyond belief, torture that was enough to turn the strongest of stomachs, Men who were so monsterous in their actions and intentions they might aswell have been Monsters.

Now here they were decades later, older, jaded, embittered by life and misfortune, and their friendship that at one time had seemed to be impregnable was now........shattered, perhaps beyond repair, though Alec hoped that it were not so, he hoped that he and James would be able to pick up the pieces of their brotherhood and put them back together, to become as close as they had once been.

 

News had quickly spread it seemed as the boffins all stoped what they were doing to look up as 006, former traitor and terrorist walked into their domain in the company of 007 and not under gun point or in chains.

Alec could not help but to play up to the attention, standing up straighter, pulling his stomach in which was, due to the nearness of middle age was starting to form a slight roundness that exercise was not keeping at bay. His grin was positively roguish as he gleamed at everyone offering winks and wiggles of his eyebrows to those who looked more than a little interested in him.

"Down Boy we're here for work not pleasure" James said making Alec raise a eyebrow at him 

"Since when has that ever stopped you!?" 

James considered the question and couldn't help but let a small smirk spread over his lips that grew even greater as they reached Q who took one look at the pair of them together and groaned loudly looking to the heavens and sighing  
"Whatever did I do to deserve this!".

 

Old habbits it seemed died hard since Alec could net help himself at playing around with every gadget that he got his sticky hands on despite Q's loud and vitriolic protests that got worse and worse to the point that he was smacking Alec's hands when he picked something up or started poking at it!.

This was not at all helped by the fact that James both joined in and actively encouraged the playing around to the point where he and Alec were egging the other on!.

"God in Heaven will you both cease and desist!" Q shouted after the pair had nearly set off an explosive device that was being made for 009!

"Depends how much longer we stuck in here instead of doing something fun" James replied   
"Let us go and play around on the range and the tracks, I haven't had the chance to drive anything over 90 mph in far too long!" Alec agreed elbowing James "Bet you fifty that I'm still a better shot than you"

"A hundred says you're not" James grunted 

"Oh go on and get out of here" Q grumbled "I've 006's measurements and will have him outfitted by tomorrow, give us some peace and waste our clostly ammunitions on target practise!, with luck you'll shoot each other and put yourselves out of my misery!".

 

An hour later Alec was smirking like the cat who had gotten the cream as he placed a hundred pounds in twenties into his wallet while James glared  
"You always were a smug bastard!" James grumbled

"And you a poor loser" Alec chuckled "Care to double or nothing on the tracks?, the fastest driver wins?", James's eyes gleamed and his smile was positively wolfish 

"Lead the way 006!".

 

Quinn had quickly fled from Canary Warf choosing to take to both the roof tops and the sewers to evade observation as he headed back to his home, avoiding all contact with anyone and moving as swiftly as possible to reach his secret hiding place. 

Once inside he locked the door tight and tore off his new clothes that Alec had bought him to change into his usual mismatched ensamble and went right to his main laptop which was also hooked up to several other desktops so he could operate multiple operations and searchs at once while having netflix playing.

"Lets see whats been going on in the world since I was playing games with Morons Incorporated six!" he muttered to himself booting up one of his favorite search programes designed to seek out any and all hacking activity in the world, and those advertising for hackers or thieves to do jobs for them, (He might reluctantly be working for MI6 but that didn't mean he was getting out of the game anytime soon).

While the search programe set about going through the last forty eight hours of activity Quinn logged into Netflix and set up Star Trek Voyager to play and on another desktop brought up his scematics for Alec's new leg to work on intending to start making the physical prototype as soon as he could.

 

Vauxhall Cross 

 

An hour on the tracks later and Alec was the one who was a hundred poorer after James had beaten him driving several sports cars, moterbikes, and a Rolls Royce!.

Both feelings exhilerated they had left the tracks and headed for the gym to beat the bags a little. 

Alec would have suggested that they simply get in the ring to fight but could tell that James was hestitant to do so, most likely because he knew about Alec's leg and felt he had an unfair advantage to him. 

Partly Alec was irked by that, his pride being stung, but he could also see the reason for James's retisence, the man was after all a Man of honor and would see no honor in a fight against someone who had such a disadvantage, nore would he wish to cause Alec the humiliation of being knocked on his arse should he kick the prosthetic out from under him or cause it to become dislodged from his person, such an act was cowardly and beneath a Man like 007, it would be the act of bully not a double oh agent. 

So with that in mind Alec held his tongue and went to the bags instead promising to take James on in his private gym at some point to prove to him that while his leg could be a pain at times it was not so disabling that he could not longer fight.   
Besides which he was very much looking forward to getting the upgrade that Quinn was planning for him.

Upgrade, it sounded very Borg like!, the thought made him grin as he wrapped his knuckles before slipping on the gloves  
"What are you smiling about?" James asked curiously

"The Borg" Alec replied, at James's blank look he rolled his eyes "Cybernetic Aliens in Star Trek Next Generation, Voyager, and Deep Space Nine!, don't tell me you've never seen at least one of those!"

"I prefer the Original series" James said forming the Vulcan Salute before he put his gloves on "Why are you thinking about Cybernetic.......things!"

"Quinn's going to upgrade my leg, the Borg upgrade themselves like that!" Alec chuckled "Maybe I'll ask if he can make me a phaser instead of a gun to go in it!"

"What!?" James shook his head trying to get his head around the idea of carrying a gun inside an artificial limb!, glancing at the limb or rather the prosthetic Alec was walking on James felt a pinch of guilt twinge in his belly for the pain and disfigurment he'd caused his friend, something must have shown on his face because Alec shook his head and patted his shoulder 

"Don't worry about it, at the time I deserved what I got and had our situations been reversed I would have done exactly the same as you" he said "Don't beat yourself up over this, if you really want a beating then I'll be more than happy to do it for you!"

"Ha, your wrists are so limp it'd be like being hit in the face with wet lettice!" 

"Who said anything about your face!?" Alec replied grinning at James "Besides we both know I was always better at hand to hand".

 

Quinn was so engrossed in his design schematics that he didn't register the incoming E-Mail on his secured server until several minutes had passed.   
Straightening up he winced at the stiffness in his back and moved to type in his pass code accessing the e-mail 

to Question Mark  
from Spider

Bad shit ging down man, don't know who u pissed off but they out 4 ur blood big time, they advertise 4 hackers and killers 2 track and kill u!.  
Watch ur back, go underground, trust no one.

 

Quinn swallowed hard feeling a cold sweat breaking out over his skin, his former employers were certainly vindictive and persistant, clearly they did not want to let Quinn go without making him pay. 

Doule checking his security he sent a quick reply to Spider thanking him for his alert and promised to do as he said the set about reading through all the data his search had picked up finding multiple contracts being offered out to those who would know what to look for on the appropriate sites, contracts to hire mercenarys to kill him.


	9. Chapter 9

MI6  
Q-Branch

 

"Whats troubling you?"

Quinn looked up from where he was fitting the first model of Alec's new leg and met the sharp eyes of the older man.

Once Boothroyd had been informed about Quinn's ideas for Alec's leg he had given permission for Quinn to utilize Q-Branch for the equipment and materials in return for being allowed to observe the work and document it for future prototypes for similarly injured agents, while it had always been practise in the past to invalid out anyone hurt so severely but perhaps they were being rather short sighted, clearly Alec was as fit as he'd ever been if the test results were anything to go by, yes he was heavier and slightly slower on his reflexes than in his twenties but you could say that about anyone, his leg certainly wasn't slowing him down any and Quinn's modifications would make it an advantage rather than a disability so perhaps in the future when agents suffered an amputation if they were able to adapt aswell as Alec and keep up their level of fittness then retirment from the field would not be their only option.

"What makes you think theres anything wrong?" Quinn asked back looking back down at the leg checking the structure and especially how the compartments were holding up 

"You've been jittery for weeks thats why" Alec replied "Has someone upset you, said something to you?"

"No" Quinn said leaning back on his knees "Can you rise and walk for me?"  
Alec complied rising from the table and pacing across the room and back, "How does that feel?" Quinn asked watching the leg to see how well it was bearing the weight especially with the compartments one of which he thought needed modification 

"Good, not heavy or awkward" Alec replied "It'll probably be different with a knife and a gun in it though!"

"Which is why I have both so you can test the weight" Quinn said taking both items from the table 

"Want me to sit?" Alec offered

"No I can do this easier with you standing", kneeling again Quinn opened the wire mesh compartents inserting the weapons and then closing the mesh to secure them in place, with a flesh covering it would be much better secured but they wouldn't be putting that on until they had a finished model as it would be a waste of time and money, "How does that feel now?" 

"Heavier" Alec admitted lifting the leg supporting himself on his other leg and placed a hand on the table as he moved his knee back and forth "Not too heavy though" he mused "I'll get use to it quick enough with some practise", placing the foot down he took a few experimental steps testing the balence and making a conscious effort not to scrape the foot on the ground, yes while heavier it was not difficult or bulky to move he'd soon adapt to it especially since he had prior experiance of having weapons strapped to his legs back in his hayday as 006

"Hows it coming then?, have you got him an eye patch and a robotic parot yet!?" James joked as he sauntered into the workshop, over the past three weeks he had worked with Alec on rebuilding their relationship and after a "Heart to heart" which had more been a piss up and punch up in which they had been left in the gutter of Soho with split lips, black eyes, bloody noses, and bruised knuckles laughing their heads off like a pair of drunken teenagers!. 

Somehow this had worked to get them past the awkwardness they'd been dealing with and they were now joking with each other as much as they ever had been. The pirate jokes regarding Alec's leg were very much part of that now James knew Alec bore no ill will over the loss of the limb and treated it himself as a laugh or cry matter and as crying would achieve nothing he prefered to laugh even once asking the long suffering Boothroyd if he could have a hook made for his hand!.

"Knowing you two you'd program the damn thing into swearing everytime it saw M and make sexual remarks to all the women!" Quinn replied with a glare 

James grinned and placed a hand over his heart "You know us so well!" 

"Makes you proud doesn't it?" Alec sighed ruffling Quinn's hair and smirked as his hand was batted away like anoying pest "And I don't believe you" he added as Quinn took the gun and knife back from the leg "I know theres something wrong"

"Know me so well do you?"  
"Better than you might think" Alec said going back to the table and sitting down so his leg could be taken off and his regular one put back on "Whats wrong?, is it because I'm going to see Monaghan?"

Monaghan was the head of one of the few crime organizations that had survived Alec's take over of London, he was well known for being brutal and sadistic in the extreme, Quinn had tried too keep well away from him and his merry band of trigger and knife happy bastards but had saddly suffered a few run ins with them one of which had landed him in hospital with a punctured lung!.

While he didn't relish the thought of Alec going to Monaghans territory he knew he could handle himself and Yuri would never let anything happen to him if he could help it, what was really bothering Quinn was the contract that his charmless former employers had taken out on him, while he had destroyed their advertisment with Spiders help he could not be sure of who had seen it already and were already working to destroy him something that was naturally leaving him jumpy.  
While he could and probably should have told Alec and James he couldn't help but fear giving them that much trust, having been alone for so long, relied on none but himself it was exceptionally hard for him to let his defenses down so much which was why he had continued to hold his tongue on the matter.

Fixing a look of disinterested scorn on his face that he used on the streets to hide fear or distress he shrugged his shoulders and spoke in a sulky voice "I don't give a fuck 'bout Monaghan"

"Considering his reputation I doubt anyone cares about him save to put a bullet through him" James commented having heard about the man from both Quinn and Alec "However double oh jackass here does have a point for the first time in his entire life!"

"Hey!"

"You have been out of sorts lately" James said ignoring Alec's protest at being called double oh jackass! "Somethings not right"

"M'fine" Quinn grunted 

Alec exchanged a look with James silently comunicating their disbelief of this statement, "You know" James said casually walking towards Quinn and placing a hand on his shoulder "If someone is bothering you then it is part of our job description to deal with them"

"Quite right!" Alec agreed coming to stand besides James the two of them forming a wall about Quinn who looked at them with both amusment and irritation, "If someones upsetting you then it's up to us to take them out back and put them before a firing squad!"

"A firing squad!?" Quinn drawled shooting them both a disbelieving look 

"Or kick the shit out of them!" James suggested, between the double attack of stupidity Quinn couldn't help but smile feeling rather like he was being harassed by a pair of older brothers, although he had to admit it wouldn't do for him to bbe having the feelings for James that he was if they were indeed brothers!. 

 

His feelings for James, that butterflys in the stomach jittery feeling he got whenever double oh seven was near was another difficulty he was dealing with and one he was finding much more difficult to deal with since he had never before been interested in another person. 

His abusive past had left him rather asexual, or at least that was how he'd thought of himself, yes he thought actors and actresses were pretty but everyone did and liking the sight of someone on TV was the same as liking a work of art, it wasn't something that could ever go beyond the asthetic and into the physical and Quinn had never been inclined for anything physical, not until now and in truth he had absalutely no idea how to proceed or even if he should proceed!.

Having no experiance in romance he had no idea what to do and it was making him feel clumsy and tongue tied about James who'd own silver tongue and smooth lines did nothing to help him relax, nore did the proximity to the older man that James had instigated right now giving Quinn a far too good view of his lean chisseled frame strong jaw and customary smirk!.

Realizing that he'd been staring at James without moving or speaking Quinn quickly averted his gaze and set about gathering up his equipment  
"You do know you can tell us anything don't you Kotyenok?, if something is upsetting you we will help if we can" Alec said placing a friendly hand on Quinn's back "You're not sick are you?"

"No, I'm fine I promise" Quinn said only half lying, he wasn't ill anyway so that much was true, fixing a smile to his face he made shooing motions with his hands "Now if you two fools don't mind I do have quite alot of work to be getting on with"

"Is that a polite way of telling us to Piss off?" Alec inquired looking to James who nodded "Fine then!" he declared sniffing and turning his nose up "We'll piss off down the pub!".

 

Whitechappel

 

Alec fiddled with the car radio trying to find a decent station that wasn't being blocked out by static from the many signals in London including their own private network to MI6, but so far all he'd come across was Radio One and Classic FM niether of which were to his taste. 

Grunting a course Russian phrase he slumped back in the seat just as James ran yet another red narrowly avoiding a moterbike and a battered old ford, the moterbike rider flipped them off while the ford driver hit his horn yelling at them!.

"I see your driving hasn't improved any!" Alec teased relaxing back in the seat 

"Has yours?" James replied ignoring the sign that stated not fater than twenty mph and carried on at fifty!

"I haven't run anyone over" Alec replied "Lately at least!"

James grunted managing to hit the breaks just in time to avoid running down a couple of pedestrians but soon hit the gas again as soon as they were past them  
"So what d'you thinks bothering Quinn?" he asked changing the subject and glancing up at the rear view mirror checking the Yuri was still following them in one of Alec's cars 

"I don't know the kids always kept his cards close to his chest" Alec replied tapping his finger tips on his knees in a steady rythem "Well" he added with a wry grin "I know one thing that bothering him but not whats really on his mind"

James rolled his eyes partly because he had no choice but to join a que at red lights and partly at Alec's cryptic answer, "I don't suppose you'll just tell me what you mean without being insufferably clever and speaking in riddles?"

"And I don't suppose you could drop your Oxford education and long winded speaches anytime soon and talk like the rest of us lower born peasants!?"

"Cambridge" James corrected 

"Whatever, and I am not being cryptic in fact I thought it was pretty obvious whats up with my little Kitten, partly anyway", he rolled his eyes as James glanced at him with a frown "Did you get one to many blows to head and have your eyesight and brains addled?"  
"No but you will if you carry on!"

"Take you best shot bitch I'll sign your cast after I'm through!"

James grinned changing gears and added another ten mph to the Aston, "Go on then since you're so smart, apparently!, what is it I'm missing?"

"Quinns in love with you!".

 

A squealing of tires, blaring horns, colourful swearing, and a very nearly dented Aston Martin followed this statement when James swerved violently cutting up the traffic and almost running into a lamp post!  
"Chertov Khristos!" Alec yelled (Fucking Christ!) "I swear to all thats Holy Bond!, you can't drive for shit!"

"Blow me!" James groused his cheeks stained pink 

"I think I'll leave that to a certain hacker we both know!" Alec replied "But in all seriousness and speaking as his friend and adoptive big brother I am begging you to be careful in how you proceed with this" 

"Or you'll knee cap me!?"

"To say the least!" Alec said seriously "You know what the kids been through, Six ran his file, he's known nothing but abuse all his life, his only sexual encounters have been with perverts!, in all sense and purpose he may aswell be a virgin for all the experiance he has!" sitting up straighter he looked at James seriously his expression holding none of his usual humour "I'm not going to tell you not to....act on this, I don't have the right to do that, Quinn's an adult and more than capable of making his own decisions, but I am asking.........no, what I am saying is I do not want to see him hurt, I get the feeling that he very much an all or nothing kind of person so unless you are looking for commitment then I would say do not persue this because it will only end in tears and he doesn't deserve that".

 

Looking to his friend James took a deep breath and nodded his head, he was going to need time to think about this, a lot of time and now wasn't it not when they were pulling up in Monaghan's territory and about to go and face the man Alec had described as The Kray's Bastard Brat!, any thoughts of romance, of considering the possibility of a relationship with their little hacker was going to have to wait until they'd dealt with the Reggy and Ronnie Kray wannabe!.

"Show time" Alec said getting out of the car and nodded his head to a couple six foot by eight foot heavies hanging about outside a car dealer ship and garrage which was a front to Monaghans business

"Nice welcoming commitee I must say!" James drawled straightening his suit and tipping a wink at the scar faced, tattooed, leather and denim wearing thugs who's bodies stank so strongly of sweat and alcohol that he could smell them from there!

Alec was no less as cocky sauntering right up to one of them and grinned wolfishly "How's it going Lizzie!?, boss managed to house train you yet or are you still pissing all over his carpets!?"

The thug in question growled, his face bore several nasty scars one of which came down over his eyes so baddly that the lid was all but split in two, it was a miracle that he'd avoided loosing his eye considering the severity of the wound, his scarred split lips pulled back in a sneer and he spat on the floor at Alec's feet only just missing his shoes, "Names Lindsey!" he grunted 

"Well I was close enough!" Alec drawled shrugging his shoulders and gave a mock salute to the second heavy who'd started to breath down James's neck probably thinking he was being intimidating when all he was doing was proving to Bond that his breath was as foul as the rest of him!  
"We wanna see your charmless boss so be a dear and let him know will you?" 

"Why would 'e wanna see you?" 

"Because brain trust I'll make it worth his while" Alec said in a slow voice as if talking to a mentally handicapped four year old "Now be a good errend boy and tell Monaghan before I shoot you and your boyfriend and just go and announce myself!"

Lindsey glared at Alec and over his shoulder to Yuri who was lounging against Alec's lambourgini his hand upon his automatic under his jacket and smirked back at him  
"Wait 'ere" Lindsey grunted stomping off to go and relay the message to his boss

"Errend boy?" James asked 

"He's too old to be a rent boy!" Alec replied with a shrug straightening up as Lindsey stomped back out 

"Boss says leave your weapons out 'ere and come up to 'is office".


	10. Chapter 10

Lewis Monaghan was the epitomy of an old time Gangster, right down the vintage spats he wore with his pin stripe suit and the fedora hat. 

He was a heavy set man of about five ft ten five ft eleven with very broad shoulders much like you would see on a professional Rugby player, his neck was thick inside his collar and his face was bulldog like with baddly scarred eyebrows from many fist fights and what looked to be a knife wound to the far right of his right cheek.

His hands which he spread in a mocking welcome were covered in heavy gold rings and the knuckles as scarred as his eyebrows. He was flanked on by sides by heavies who glared at James and Alec as they came into the office.

"Dear Lewis, so good of you to see us on short notice!" Alec drawled with a sarcastic smile on his face "I know you're a very busy man after all, endless drug deals I mean business meetings!, blackmailing I mean Negotiating deals, stealing, I mean acquiring items!"

While James stiffled a laugh Monaghan glowered his goons all but baring their teeth and growling like the untrained dogs they were!  
"Cut the shit Russian what the fuck d'you an you're boyfriend want?"

"Boyfriend?" James asked looking disgusted "Are we twelve?"

"No thats just his IQ!" Alec replied before turning back to Monaghan "I simply have some questions, information gathering if you will"

"Why would I answer any of your questions you Stalin lovin' mother fucker?" Monaghan demanded "Why shouldn't I have you and this Ken Doll shot and tossed in the Thames right now?"

"Because you'll be bringing one hell of a shit storm down yourself if you do" Alec replied not even so much as blinking at the threat or the insult, "You'll be cutting your own throat along with mine if you don't do as I ask", Metaphore was clearly too complex for Monaghan's goons to comprehend both of them stepping forward to shield their boss from harm 

"Shall we do 'em boss?" one of them grunted cracking his knuckles and grinning to show an amazing amount of gold plated teeth!

"Not just yet" Monaghan said folding his arms over his thick chest his eyes narrowing on Alec "Tell me what you mean?"

Alec smiled a charming smile and shifted his weight to one hip relaxing in spite of Goons one and two all but frothing at the mouth to rip him limb from limb! "You're a business man Monaghan, granted most of your business is not legal but thats beside the point, for you to operate your business you need the country to secure and ordered not torn apart in chaos, you need the mundane of society to continue to operate as it has always done to keep generating you business and bringing in money correct?", Monaghan shrugged his shoulders but not deny this "Well then it is clear that you would gain nothing if this country were suddenly laid wide open to it's many enemies and a massive terrorist attack tore it apart. If for example London was obliterated by an Air strike your territory would no longer exist, nore your "Customers", probably not even you!, or if an invasion force managed to gain a foothold it would cause a serious cramp in your business dealings. What with enforced curfews, National Gaurd on the streets, people staying indoors out of fear!"

"I get the picture Russian get to the point" Monaghan grunted he slapped the back of the goons heads moving them out of his way and snapped his fingers which brought him an almost instant glass of whiskey which he downed in a single gulp 

"A tosser called Blackwood managed to steal vital information on Englands defenses and has been offering it up to the highest bidder, now if that were not bad enough another organization has attempted to steal this information from Blackwood, in all liklihood this organization is a terrorist cell and are planning to use the information to stage a full scale attack upon the UK, which, if successful would leave you as fucked as everyone else including me!" this last part was almost yelled at Monaghan who did not look overly impressed by the speach save perhaps for his eyes which held a trace of genuine fear for his person and his pocket especially within them.

"How can I help you with this?" Monaghan asked at length "This is not really my area"

"No but you are one of the most notorious gangsters in the UK, one whom a corporation may make contact with for aid, especially if they were looking to regain the USB containing this information which has been taken off the market".

 

For the first time since they had come into his presence Monaghan smiled, not warm and friendly smile, it was more like a shark showing you it's teeth before it ripped your legs off at the hip!, "Or perhaps if they were looking for revenge on an employee of theirs who betrayed them to the British Secret Service?".

 

James would swear he saw a thunder cloud descend over Alec at this point, certainly he felt his own blood drain in worry while his eyes swiftly located every exit and potential weapon in the office should this "Chat" turn physical.

"What. The. Fuck. Do. You. Know?" Alec growled enunciating each word perfectly 

Monaghan laughed snapping his fingers for another drink "Just that your little bitch Hacker will soon be washing up in the Thames with few parts missing!"

"You sonofabitch!" Alec lunged for Monaghan his hands stretched out to wring the bastards neck but Goon one and two quickly intervined resulting in both himself and James having guns to their heads 

"Now now this is supposed to be a civil conversation!" Monaghan laughed clearly enjoying Alec's fury at him 

"You bastard, what the fuck did you do?, what did you say?" James snarled 

"Not much" Monaghan replied with a shrug "They made contact wanting to know the where abouts of a London based Hacker who called himself Question Mark, they didn't know what his real name was or what he looked like only his handle and that he was London based so naturally I realized that they were talking about that mangy alley cat of yours!"

"And you did what?" Alec spat all but frothing at the mouth as he glared at Monaghan

"Simply informed them that he went by the name Kit Quinn and spent a fair amount of time hanging around your club" Monaghan paused and grinned toothily "I do hope you haven't had him at yours too oftern!" 

"Alec....." James whispered knowing they could not afford to waste time here

"I swear to God Monaghan if anything happens to that boy I will visit it back on you a thousand fold!" Alec snarled spitting at the man, had they time he would have cheerfully ripped the bastard limb from limb but right now they couldn't afford to wait and instead just ran for the cars"

"Boss?" Yuri asked worriedly 

"Quinn's in trouble get who you need go to Six and take out anyone who so much as blinks at him wrong" Alec ordered getting into James's car and braced himself as they reached sixty in less than two seconds 

"Where are we going?" James asked as he skidding round the corner narrowly avoiding a lamp post 

"Quinn's place" Alec replied trying to call the boy in question and failing to get a connection "Stupid fuckin' useless piece of shit!" he snarled throwing the phone behind him in temper 

"Call Six" James said putting his foot down and increasing the speed to over a hundred! ""Where the hell am I going?" he shouted still not clear in where he was driving to

"Lambeth Bridge" Alec replied "He lives under it"

"He lives under a bridge!?"

"Literally, turned it's foundations into an apartment hooked up his electric to the main road!" Alec said shooting an incredulas James a grin "He's an eccentric!"

"If he's eccentric what the hell are we?" James demanded!.

 

Lambeth Bridge

 

Quinn knew there was something off as soon as he entered his apartment. There were no obvious signs of an intruder but ever hair on the back of his neck stood up on end as if a cold draft had just blown over him.

Standing in the doorway he looked about the apartment pulling his ever present flick knife from his pocket and releasing the blade, everything looked alright there was nothing out of place as such but..................wait!, he hadn't turned off his main hard drive that morning he'd left it on standby!, as soon as he noticed this a shadow moved and he heard the click of a gun being cocked!, in a second Quinn was spinning round and making a lunge for the door planning on running, throwing himself in the thames, anything!, but no matter how fast his reflexes were the speed of a bullet was faster and before he knew it Quinn was hitting the ground a burning pain in his right side and blood seeping from the wound.

"Pick him up" a heavily accented voice said "He can still talk"

"I'll enjoy making him" another voice said

Wrapping his fingers tight about his knife Quinn grit his teeth waiting until he was rolled over then he struck slashing the knife across the mans throat in a single stroke that split it wide!.  
Blood sprayed in a wide arch coating Quinn as he struggled to his feet and made a weak run with his hand pressed to his side, behind him he heard the shooter shouting and swearing his footsteps coming increasingly closer to him even as he hauled himself up the stone steps upon reaching the top another shot rang out and he brought to the ground with a bullet ripping open his thigh!

"You ain't going no where bitch!" the shooter spat running up the steps to place a brutal kick to Quinn's back making him cry out as his ribs were smashed into the steps "Oh we're gonna have fun with you!" he laughed maliciously 

Coughing Quinn rolled onto his back and stared up at the gun barrel and the shooter his expression one of resignition "Always knew it'd end like this one day" he said lifting his chin defiantly "Finish it asswipe cause there ain't anythin' you fucks can do t'me that ain't already been done!, so kill me now cause no matter what the torture I won't ever break"  
The shooter got closer pressing the barrel to Quinn's forehead baiting him, daring him, "Are you sure about that?" he asked.

Three things happened in one moment, a screeching of tires and breaks, a gun being fired, and a scream of pain...............


	11. Chapter 11

The car had barely come to a stop before Alec was leaping out of the passenger side and firing his gun at the thug who had a gun pressed against Quinn's forehead.

The thug let out a scream of pain as the bullet shattered the socket of his shoulder rendering his arm useless, stumbling back he roared as the next bullet shattered the elbow of his left arm leaving him without functioning hands at all, and a third shattered his right knee cap crippling him and throwing him to the ground.

"Now stay down unless you want another ruined joint" Alec snarled at him keeping cover while James ran down to Quinn who was spitting blood and panting heavily 

"One inside, I killed him!" the boy panted moaning in pain as James pressed firmly on the wound to his side 

"Just hold still you're going to be fine" James stated briefly weighing up the odds of calling an ambulance but decided driving would be faster, taking off his jacket he pressed it against Quinn's side and moved his hands over it "Keep the pressure on" he instructed the pale faced blood soaked boy who looked on the verge of passing out 

"Former.....employers betrayed me" Quinn whispered groaning as James lifted him up from the stone steps "Sent 'em t'get me"

"No shit" James muttered hurrying back up the steps "Can you keep an eye on that moron while I get Quinn to Six?"

Alec shot him a woflish grin "I'll even get a head start on interrogation!".

 

Bundling Quinn into the car James put his foot down even more than usual and took even less notice of traffic, pedestrians, red lights, and road signs as he sped across London, "Hey, hey stay awake" he ordered slapping Quinn's face as he began to slip into sleep 

"Should of seen it coming" Quinn whispered groggily "Warned me"

"Warned you?" James asked glancing at him while changing gears and avoided the red lights by driving over the pavement and then took a more direct route over a round about!, this attracted the attention of police and earned him a car tailing with lights and siren blaring!, "Who warned you?" he asked glancing in the rear view at the police and stuck his fingers up at them! "Amatures!"

"Spider" Quinn mumbled "Tol' me they'd....placed a hit out on me"

"And you didn't think to tell us!?", James's roared question may have had more effect had it not been for Quinn passing out completely, cursing under his breath he pushed the car another ten mph faster "I swear it kid when you're conscious I'm going to kick your skinny little arse for this!" he muttered screeching round a corner.

On reaching Six he didn't even both stopping the engine or taking the keys out of the ignition instead he leaped from the car, slid across the bonnet to the passenger side and hurriedly pulled Quinn from the car running up to the building just as the police car came screeching round the corner  
"Deal with that!" he said to one of the security guards not about to waste time with Policeman Plod!.

 

He rushed Quinn straight down to medical where the boy was immediatly taken off to surgery with Doctors suspecting damage to his kidneys.

"Let me know the second he's in recovery" James called after them as the boy was wheeled away on a gurney and took a moment to realize he was covered in blood, not something that was completely unusual for a man in his line of work but not pleasent either, he was about to go and shower and change but a screeching voice that he swore made his eardrums bleed halted his progress to the locker room

"BOND!" 

M was clearly on the war path, she had a face like thunder and James wouldn't have been surprised had their been steam coming from her ears   
"What in the name of God d'you think you and Trevelyan are doing?" she roared at him "Speeding across London, endangering lives, involving the police....!"

"Quinn's been shot" James said "One to the side one to the thigh, they're operating right now"

This quieted M some what as she took in the blood on James's clothes "Trevelyan?"

"Baby sitting the second shooter, the first Quinn took care of himself. Before he passed out he said that a hacker friend of his warned him that his former employers had taken a hit out on him, Alec's charmless friend Monaghan said something similar and the bastard pointed them in Quinn's direction"

"Damnit!" M cursed "Where is Trevelyan?" 

"Lambeth bridge, our little thief lives under it in a subteranian apartment!" 

M didn't so much as blink at this instead she snapped her fingers to summn Tanner "Get a team to the bridge, deal with any over enthuseastic police and reporters, and bring that thug back here for questioning, alive prefferably"

"Ma'am" Tanner said tapping his mobile and began barking out orders as he walked away.

 

"What's our boys chances of survival?" M asked James as blunt as ever, it wasn't that she didn't care simply that she didn't have time for pleasentrys, she needed cold hard fact here and now not tears and nicities

"They think one of his kidneys was hit" James replied shrugging his shoulders he wasn't a Doctor after all "He's lost alot of blood"  
M pursed her lips "He's strong" she stated "To survive a life like his you'd have to be", as always when she started to muse she felt Bond's eyes upon her and closed off like the pages of a book being snapped shut "Go and get cleaned up" she ordered briskly "I want a report on my desk in an hour"

"Ma'am" James muttered wondering who he could sweet talk into writing it for him!.

 

Lambeth Bridge

 

"You know this would be much easier if you'd just talk" Alec said conversationally as he rested his entire body weight on the thugs already damaged knee "Just tell me who hired you and I'll stop hurting you" 

"Fuck you asshole!" the thug spat between moans only to howl as Alec treated him to yet another bullet, this one through his hip! 

"You know there are so many ways to torture someone" the Russian drawled "There's the obvious beatings, matches on the skin, razor blades down the finger nails etc, then theres the more insidious methods" he smiled coldly at the thug "Mind manipulation, thats the best way to break someone you know?, physical pain?, after a while you can become numb to it, you reach a certain point and the brain switches off the receptors so you literally stop feeling it, of course we are talk an excrutiating level of agony here for this to happen and most people will have broken long before this point. But messing with the mind?, well that takes far less time and has guaranteed results"

The thug looked up at him glaring defiently despite the numerous wounds he already bore "Do your worst shit face I ain't scared of you!"

Alec smiled back and leaned forward to whisper to him "I intend to" his grin became truly vicious "I think we'll start with sensory deprivation.....".

MI6

By the time James was done with his shower and changed his clothes word had already come back that Alec and the thug had disappeared leaving only the corpse of the other man who Quinn had killed, by slashing his throat it appeared.

Quinn was still in surgery and was likely to be for another hour or more so James opted to go and find Alec himself, betting that he'd taken the thug to interrogate him himself rather than letting Six's interrogators do it.

 

His theory turned out to be correct when he arrived at Alec's club and was directed to the appartment above where Alec was lounging on a leather sofa playing Call Of Duty on his PS4.

"Hows Quinn?" Alec asked by way of greeting not looking up from the TV 

"In surgery still but "Stable" whatever that means" James replied looking around the appartment, "Wheres the shooter?" he asked seeing no sign of him beyond a trail of blood that had dripped on the carpet

"Being softened up" Alec replied before roaring at the TV screen "C'mon!", cursing in frustration he tossed the controller down "Motherfucker!"

"Got beaten again did you?" James asked raising in amusment 

"You any good at this?" Alec asked gesturing to the second controller 

"I do alright" James said sitting down on the sofa letting Alec plug the second controller in and take the game back so he could select his Guy and weaponry, "When you say he's being softened up?"

"He's enjoying listening to the sound of his own heartbeat, breathing, and digestion" Alec replied with a grin "I give it an hour before the lack of senses has him screaming to be let out and tell us everything!"

"An hour" James mused picking an AK47 for his weapon "Gives me just enough time to kick your ass!"

"In your dreams 007!".


End file.
